Apr 11 (ST) With only a few days remaining for the Sinhala Tamil New Year, there is still confusion about auspicious times, following a dispute among astrologers. While the two factions—the state committee and a rival group of astrologers—presented different auspicious times and then refused to compromise, Minister Vidura Wickramanayake said that the people could follow auspicious times that were convenient more..

Apr 11 (EN) Central Bank has bought US$ 715 million from forex markets in March 2024, up from a net US$ 239.5 million in February, taking the total so far this year to US$ 1,199 million. Gross official reserves went up by US$ 431 million in March as debt was repaid from domestic savings. A central bank is able to collect reserves when domestic credit is moderated by an appropriate interest rate (reducing domestic investments), and the rupees created by dollar purchases more..

Apr 11 (TM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasised that the Govt’s prudent decisions over the past two years have bolstered the nation’s economy, providing a favourable environment for political activities on the streets. However, he cautioned that the economy still faces challenges, urging citizens to weigh the choice of either continuing with the Govt’s initiatives for prosperity or risking regression. Highlighting a remarkable increase of over 50% in govt income more..

Apr 11 (TM) Visa, the global leader in digital payments, announced that Visa debit card spends saw a significant increase of over 35% in the past year, indicating healthy growth of digital payments in SL. This increase is buoyed by a 30%+ increase in face-to-face spends and over 40% increase in ecommerce spends. As the Tamil and Sinhala New Year celebrations commence in the country, retail transactions are picking up more..

Apr 11 (PTI) As many as 19 Indian fishermen detained by the Sri Lanka Navy were on Wednesday repatriated to India after being released by authorities here, the Indian HC said. "Returning home! 19 Indian fishermen have been repatriated from Sri Lanka and are now on their way from Colombo to Chennai," Indian High Commission here said. The Navy has so far held 23 Indian trawlers and 178 Indian fishermen for allegedly fishing in the island nation's waters thus far in 2024, more..

Apr 11 (FT) A delegation from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), headed by Assistant CEO (Operations), Dr. Abdul Jalil Karder, along with two other officers from the Joint Operation Division of the SFA visited SL from 25 to 28 March. The purpose of the visit was to conduct pre-inspections of slaughterhouses in SL that have applied for licenses from the SFA in Singapore, with the objective of assessing the potential of SL companies to be approved as sources of poultry products more..

Apr 11 (AD) The 8 Sri Lankans, who were rescued from the cybercrime camps in Myawaddy area of Myanmar, have safely arrived at the Embassy of SL in Thailand. Commenting in this regard, Ambassador of SL to Thailand, Mr. Janaka Bandara said the rescued people will be repatriated to the island in the coming days. Out of the 56 Sri Lankans who were trapped in cybercrime camps in Myawaddy, eight were rescued by the Myanmar govt authorities in early March and sent to the Myawaddy more..

Apr 11 (EN) SL govt is waiting for the approval from the Legal Draftsman Department to proceed with Chartered Institute for Journalists, State Media Minister Shantha Bandara said. Cabinet has approved the establishment of Chartered Institute for Journalists in 2021, but it has not taken off the ground amid Covid pandemic and an unprecedented economic crisis. Minister Bandula Gunawardena had promised to complete the state-controlled professional media body by last year. more..

Apr 11 (TM) The judicial proceedings with regard to the MV X-Press Pearl maritime disaster should be expedited and the relevant Govt agencies should support it, said environmental scientist, Dr. Ajantha Perera. She said that nearly three years have passed since the incident, and that there is no progress in the relevant compensation process. “The relevant Govt institutions are so lethargic, and are waiting doing nothing. more..

Apr 11 (Hindu) A team from Nature, through court documents, has found that Ranga Dias, professor at Uni of Rochester who had touted the discovery of room-temperature superconductor in March last year, committed data fabrication, falsification and plagiarism. The publication found an investigation report in court documents that stated the physicist had committed scientific misconduct. The 10-month-long investigation, which concluded on Feb 8, was carried out by a group of scientists, more..

Apr 11 (FT) The Cabinet of Ministers approved designating several companies as Secondary Businesses of Strategic Importance under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act. The decision aims to provide exemption or incentives to the designated companies from specific Acts outlined in Schedule II of the aforementioned Act. Additionally, the Cabinet has authorised the publication of orders for the same through gazette notifications. more..

Apr 11 (EN) Consumer confidence in Sri Lanka surged to a new peak in March 2024 though all three indices run by the Institute for Health Policy (IHP), which ran the survey, were still at pessimistic levels. The IHP’s March 2024 Consumer Confidence Indices, which are generated from its SL Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS), improved to a new all-time peak in March, the institute said in a statement. more..

Apr 11 (FT) It is showdown time. I borrowed the caption from the The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats. Things fall apart and the centre cannot hold. Passionate intensity dictates debate. The next election, Prez or Parliamentary will be a head-to-head encounter between the dominant and the dominated. Despite polls and engineered parades, the dismantling of the hegemony of the dominant class is not a certainty. Since hope is not optimism, I would say that it is a near certainty. more..

Apr 11 (FT) The recent statements by PM Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Kachchatheevu created a sensation in India and SL, especially regarding what would be their short- and long-term repercussions. Quotes such as every Indian is angered as PM Modi said, and India needing to sit down and work out a solution, declared by Minister Dr. Subramaniam Jashankar, insinuated the heartburn and the potential for follow-up action in Indian power-houses. more..

Apr 11 (DM) A 23-year-old woman was discovered dead under suspicious circumstances at a hotel in Avissawella, Police said. The Avissawella Police were alerted after the individual accompanying the deceased woman reported her unconscious state to the hotel management. Upon receiving the call, Crime Scene Investigation Officers from the Sitawaka Police Division rushed to the scene and initiated investigations. The deceased is a resident of Walapane. more..

Apr 11 (FT) Senior Advisor to the President Sagala Ratnayaka yesterday had a telephone conversation with the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan where the duo discussed matters to strengthen peace and security in the region. A statement from the PMD noted the dialogue encompassed a range of crucial topics aimed at bolstering bilateral relations between the two nations. Central to their discussion was the unwavering US commitment to supporting SL’s security and sovereignty. more..

Apr 11 (DM) Claiming that NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake first invited SJB leader Sajith Premadasa for a debate, the NPP said some members of the SJB were now attempting to divert the attention from the original debate. In a statement, NPP National Executive Member Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the first conversation about a debate between the two sides was created with the statement made by Anura Kumara more..

Apr 11 (DM) SJB MP Kavinda Jayawardene today lodged a complaint with the CID that former President Maithripala Sirisena's departure to Thailand was suspicious.a "We feel that former President Sirisena has fled the country for some reason, just like the way he did prior to the Easter Sunday attacks," he said. "I have therefore requested the CID to expatriate him immidately and hold an investigation," he added. He noted that Sirisena had created a controversial more..

Apr 11 (DM) The Department of Excise is planning to launch a special operation in Colombo during the two festive dry days targeting illegal booze sellers and to implement law strictly during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year period. A senior Excise official overseeing the Colombo City told the Daily Mirror yesterday that a joint operation has been organised in collaboration with four main Excise stations in Kesbewa, Padukka, Battaramulla and Colombo City. As a result over 50 officials more..

Apr 11 (ST) The usual hustle and bustle of markets, busy streets, and crowded supermarkets associated with the National New Year were absent, despite Avurudu being just a few days away, coinciding with the Ramadan festival. Traders said the moderate crowd seen at the markets was more interested in buying clothing for the festivals than food items and household goods. They said they believed the high prices of Avurudu-related goods and household items were keeping shoppers away. more..

Apr 11 (FT) Signifying a fresh start for Israeli jobs in the construction sector, 125 individuals chosen as the inaugural group for construction jobs in Israel received their air tickets yesterday from Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara. Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment General Manager Priyantha Senanayake and Additional General Manager Mangala Randeniya were present at the ceremony. These appointees are set to embark on their journey on 13 April. more..

Apr 11 (Island) There will be no private buses on the 13 April, President of the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA) Gemunu Wijeratne said. He said that about 25% of private buses would operate on 14 April. Wijeratne said there would be fewer private buses on Friday as well. The LPBOA President said that they will be charging 150 percent of the bus fare for the special buses they have deployed for the festive season. The SLTB said 700 additional buses had been deployed from more..

Apr 11 (Island) Five million undecided voters are waiting to hear the economic policies of the presidential candidates who will be running for President in October 2024, Member of Parliament Dr. Charitha Herath of Nidahas Janatha Sabawa (Freedom People’s Congress) told the media yesterday. Prez elections are scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka sometime between September and October 2024 according to the Constitution of SL where voters will elect a President for a term of five years. more..

Apr 11 (FT) SriLankan Airlines, the exclusive ground operator at BIA, has initiated a phased upgrade of airport ground support equipment to accommodate the rising influx of flights and travellers transiting through the airport. Recently, the airline acquired three state-of-the-art passenger apron coaches, ensuring optimal comfort for passengers during transfers between the terminal and remote stands. With airport traffic steadily increasing and nearing pre-pandemic levels, acquiring more..

Apr 11 (TM) TMTK Leader and Opposition MP C.V. Wigneswaran called on the majority community-based Prez candidates to clearly outline their solutions to the Tamil community's issues in the presence of foreign diplomats, if they (candidates) seek the Tamil community's support. He said that the majority community-based Prez candidates should be able to come forward and explain what they would do to resolve the Tamil people's issues, if they seek the Tamil community's support. more..

Apr 11 (Island) No Tamil candidate will contest in the forthcoming Prez election, representing their community, under any circumstance, former Chairman of the NPC C.V.K. Sivagnanam said on Tuesday. Sivagnanam said that there was a clamour by various political outfits in the North and the East that there should be a Tamil candidate contesting in the upcoming Prez elections. Some parties have even proposed names and published pedigrees of persons who could be the prez candidate, as per their opinions. more..

Apr 11 (Island) The SJB yesterday said the JVP-led NPP’s call for the participation of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in the proposed debate on the economy was a diversionary tactic. The SJB has challenged the NPP’s economic council members to a debate on how to resolve the economic crisis. The NPP has challenged SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa to a debate with its leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake on the economy. National Executive Committee Member and MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, on Monday, more..

Apr 11 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday rose to a two year high as investors sustained the recent bull run. On a shortened trading day due to upcoming holidays, ASPI gained by 0.6% or 70.6 points to close at 12,033 points. It was the first time ASPI crossed the 12,000-points level with the previous occasion being 21 Feb 2022. The active S&P SL20 gained by 0.7%. The sustained bull run ensured the ASPI closed the week up 2% and the S&P SL20 by 2.6%. Average daily turnover was Rs. 2.91 billion. more..

Apr 11 (FT) The Japanese Govt has extended a grant worth $ 8.4 million to supply state-of-the-art scanners to strengthen the capacity of the BIA in Katunayake and Colombo Port towards health resilient pro-mobility borders. With the country anticipates a surge in tourist numbers, with over 1.5 million foreign visitors recorded at BIA last year, alongside arrivals via sea ports the project aims to strengthen capacity at monitoring health issues among foreign arrivals. more..

Apr 11 (FT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe reaffirmed his dedication to empowering the people and strengthening the economy by ensuring access to education, land, housing and business opportunities. “Historically, land rights and housing rights were not granted without cost. However, we aim to change this narrative by empowering our citizens with the rights to education, land, housing, and business. This strategic approach will enable individuals to directly contribute more..

Apr 11 (FT) SLPP MP Rohitha Abeygunawardane yesterday confirmed that the party’s presidential candidate will be determined by its leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa shortly. The MP said the decision was reached during the party’s politburo meeting held yesterday. Addressing the media following the meeting, Abeygunawardane clarified that the party’s politburo had determined that the party’s candidate and the declaration of candidacy would solely be made by party leader Mahinda Rajapaksa. more..

Apr 11 (DN) Richmond College led by Malsha Tharupathi emerged champions of the inter school under 19 division one Tier A cricket tournament when they beat Trinity on first innings yesterday at the SSC grounds. Richmond took major honours at the three day game while Trinity scored 203 all out in their first innings and Richmond made bold reply to score 304 all out with a hundred runs lead. Trinity played much better in the second innings scoring 254 for 8 wickets declared and Richmond had to get impossible target more..